Book 5: Chapter 5-2: Cannabis and Tears |
「It’s growing well. It's evidence that they are taking good care of it.」
I had come to a massive cannabis field. Using the cannabis seeds I had purchased back in Erin, I had cultivated this land with the power of one of my previous lives, the dwarf Kuiro. We were growing it on quite a large scale, something that would have been impossible in Erucy.
「We're surprised by how quickly it's growing. Even though we're taking good care of it, it's doing exceptionally well.」
It had only been about a month since we started cultivation, yet the green stems had grown to be about 10 centimeters tall.
「cannabis can be harvested in three to four months, so in another month, beautiful purple flowers will bloom, and in one more month, we can harvest the crop.」
We should be able to harvest it before the Empire attacks Erucy. No matter how much gold they amass, it takes time to gather people and resources.
「What do you plan to do with such a crop?」
「It's quite versatile, you see. cannabis has male and female flowers. The male flower's seeds are edible. They are somewhat similar to soybeans in texture and taste, but they have a higher nutritional value and a richer flavor. It's quite a delicacy.」
On Earth, there existed a tofu called "cannabis tofu," which used cannabis oil instead of soybean milk. It was known for having a stronger sweetness and flavor compared to regular tofu and had a dedicated fan base.
Throughout history, there were very few plants as useful as cannabis.
「You mentioned the male seeds, right? What about the female seeds?」
「The nutritional value is the same, but… the female flowers' seeds contain a substantial amount of an intoxicating substance, something that can drive people mad. The male flowers have it too, but in very small quantities, so it's not a concern. You need to be careful with the female flowers' seeds, as consuming them in large amounts could be dangerous. I'll teach you how to differentiate them.」
「Cyril-sama, what do you plan to do with the female flowers?」
「We'll make full use of all of it. You will receive a portion of the male seeds for food, and if we have excess stems, you can use them for clothing. However, the female flowers will be under the exclusive control of Erucy. That's why I provided food support. Understand that mishandling the female seeds could put Bell Erucy at risk.」
「… Understood. I won't inquire further.」
Johann turned pale at the mention of Bell Erucy facing ruin. These female flowers were precisely what I sought.
After inspecting the cannabis fields, I had one man brought in.
He was a refugee from a village near the Empire.
「Cyril-sama, I've brought him.」
「You're the elf chief, huh?」
He appeared to be human, emaciated like a withered tree, with rough skin and exhausted, worn-out eyes.
「Yes, that's right. I'm the Chief of Erucy.」
「… Can I just assume you're the one who came up with Bell Erucy and took in those refugees?」
「There's no mistake. It was all my doing.」
To prevent the Empire's advance, I had accepted refugees into Bell Erucy, essentially using them as a bulwark against the Empire.
「… I see, then I can't hold a grudge against you. I despise you elves to the core. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this mess. Damn, it's infuriating that I can't even hate you now. You people are our benefactors. Who should I blame?」
The man lowered his head and his shoulders shook. A tear rolled down his cheek.
「Can you tell me about the situation in your village?」
「… Yeah, alright. Let's talk about our situation.」
「Tax rates suddenly increased. They called it an emergency levy to fight against the demons who came to destroy the Empire. But they'd already taken everything last autumn. We had no savings, and we couldn't pay.」
During the spring war, the Empire had already resorted to heavy tax collection and lost. Even after their initial defeat, they attempted to attack again, but still failed. Yet, if they wanted to continue the war, they needed more funds.
「At first, they took away all our stored food. Next, they forced us to sell our daughters to make money. … But those girls didn't fetch any decent price because everyone was doing the same. After paying taxes, we were left with no money. Even after losing my little girl, I ended with nothing, NOTHING!!」
As he recalled the agony of losing his daughter, the man's fists turned pale from how hard he was squeezing them.
「To buy food, we had to sell our land. With no land, we couldn't grow our food, so we had to pay others who owned land to cultivate crops. I don't know any other way to live after all. After that, even if I grew anything, after paying the tax I would be left with not even a single grain of wheat. So, I ran away. If I stayed there, I'd be killed. The other folks in the village did the same.」
「… I understand.」
It was the worst possible strategy.
If the farmers sold their land, it would reduce the food production. Moreover, it was futile to push the farmers to the point where they'd flee.
「Elves shouldn’t have started a rebellion. Then, we wouldn't be in this situation. If they'd just lost, we wouldn't have faced repeated tax increases. I wanted to hate them for that. But now, the elves are our saviors. Who should I hate?」
His voice was filled with frustration to the brim.
He had likely managed to survive by holding onto his hatred for the elves all this time. After all his suffering, he reached Bell Erucy and was saved, but the ones who saved him were the elves, so the hatred that had sustained him until now had been uprooted, leaving him without anything to ease his suffering.
「I recognize that the Elves' rebellion led to tighter tax collection. But we did it to protect our comrades. I have no intention of regretting or repenting for that.」
If anything, this man should have fought back. If he couldn't, he should have fled with his daughter much earlier.
「… I appreciate being allowed to stay here and given work. I understand you’re not at fault in my head but my heart can’t. I won't openly speak ill of you folks. However, I have one request.」
「What is it?」
「Please, put an end to the Empire. It’s unbearable there. That hell should disappear. It's the same in every village. No, even within the city. It's better if the demons devour it all.」
His words were filled with profound emotions.
「I promise. We'll bring an end to the Empire.」
I had finally said it out loud. Within me, I always hoped that we could coexist, but that hope had finally cracked.